The Los Angeles Dodgers prioritized rest with Julio Urias, Walker Buehler and Max Scherzer for their starts against the Atlanta Braves, and thus far have been rewarded with consecutive wins. Now Scherzer takes the mound with a chance to help the Dodgers complete a series sweep.
The right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA in five starts for the Dodgers. He’s gone at least six innings in three of those outings, and appeared on his way to a fourth if not for a lengthy rain delay at Citizens Bank Park.
Scherzer is coming off 7.2 scoreless innings in which he collected 10 strikeouts and held the San Diego Padres to just two hits. The performance helped take the burden off a bullpen that shouldered a significant load in a 16-inning game the night prior.
“I knew coming in the bullpen was taxed and wanted to go out there and pitch deep into the ballgame,” Scherzer said after the win. “I was able to get some big outs in the fifth, sixth, seventh, that allowed to me even go back out there in the eighth. That’s what the team needed.”
Scherzer last faced Atlanta on April 6, allowing four runs on five hits and collecting nine strikeouts in six innings.
And though the Dodgers certainly did not acquire Scherzer for his bat, he is one plate appearance away from tying Wei-Yin Chen’s MLB record for most without reaching safely. Chen had a .000 on-base percentage in 49 plate appearances for the Miami Marlins in 2016.
The Braves, who had a 13-game road winning streak heading into the series at Dodger Stadium, look to snap their skid with Max Fried on the mound.
The southpaw is 11-7 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 22 starts this season. One of those came against the Dodgers, when Fried allowed six hits but only one run over six innings during a June game at Truist Park.
Fried had held opponents to one earned run or fewer in four consecutive August starts before allowing three (four runs total) to the San Francisco Giants last week.
Cody Bellinger again is not in the Dodgers lineup as he has been shifted to a platoon role.
The Braves are without Ozzie Albies, who was removed Tuesday night after fouling a pitch off his left knee. X-rays came back negative but Braves manager Brian Snitker suggested Albies would miss one or two games.
Prior to first pitch the Dodgers added Zach McKinstry and Ryan Meisinger to their expanded active roster.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Trea Turner
1B: Max Muncy
RF: Mookie Betts
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
LF: AJ Pollock
CF: Chris Taylor
C: Austin Barnes
P: Max Scherzer
Braves lineup
CF: Joc Pederson
SS: Dansby Swanson
1B: Freddie Freeman
3B: Austin Riley
C: Travis d’Arnaud
LF: Eddie Rosario
RF: Adam Duvall
2B: Ehire Adrianza
P: Max Fried
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